The New Year's Eve Ball
by Pyrope
Summary: A New Year's Eve masquerade and New Year's Resolutions beginning. Where will it take our two? One shot Fic. In honor of the New Year!


**A/N: Popped into my head while writing TMWSTW. Had to write it down and post it. Maybe I'll do a ficlet at each holiday…. something to consider. LOL**

**The New Year's Eve Ball**

Hermione stood at eleven-thirty, hiding behind the mask. She did not know where her date, Ron, had disappeared to, nor did she know where any of her friends resided. After all, this was a costume ball, not just any ball. No one knew who was under each mask, unless an arrangement had been made beforehand with a date. She watched as many couples danced by her, couples laughing and smiling behind the face coverings. Hermione once again wondered where Ron was, but decided that he had most likely found Harry and had decided to talk Quidditch for a bit.

She sighed to herself, disappointed that she had agreed to attend with Ron, knowing that somewhere on the dance floor, someone else had almost asked her to the ball. She remembered that night in the library as though it were yesterday. And in fact, it had been yesterday.

"_Hermione? Can I ask you a favor?" Ron's voice was timid as he spoke, making sure to remain within the proper decibels for a change._

"_In a minute Ron; I just need to go find this book." Hermione had stood and walked within the nearby stacks, hearing Ron mutter to himself._

_A hand shot out from between the stacks and pulled Hermione into an alcove, covering her mouth. "Not a sound Granger. I wanted to ask you a question."_

_Hermione spun around. "Malfoy? What are you doing in the library Ferret!" She hissed before breaking out of his grip and moving towards Ron and her stack of books._

"_Hermione! Will you hurry up? I want to ask you a favor!" Ron's voice rose louder as he walked towards the hidden pair._

"_Granger, please. I just have one question to as-" But Hermione had broken away in fear and moved towards Ron. _

"_Yes Ron?"_

"_Go with me to the ball tomorrow? I never got the nerve to ask Lavender and now I'm dateless." His voice was hopeful._

"_Of course Ron. But just as friends." Hermione noticed Draco hang his head out of the corner of her eyes. She then realized what the blond Slytherin had wanted._

Hermione watched with a sad smile as she noticed Ron dancing awkwardly on the dance floor with Lavender, knowing he would not return to her that night.

* * *

Draco stood at the outskirts of the party, watching as Hermione stood sipping at a nearly empty cup. He scowled, knowing he should have been the one bringing her the drink, not some red haired rodent. He began to move through the crowd before stopping.

_And what would your father think Draco? You wanting some filthy little mudblood? You should be wanting her dead, not wanting her to share a dance with you! Get a grip on yourself boy. _The voice sounded rather similar to his grandfather, the man who had begun to train him in the ways of a Slytherin long before his father had.

A new voice appeared in his head. _Well? You've always been told that a Malfoy gets what he wants. Why not continue on with the tradition, rules be damned. _And so Draco continued to move through the crowd, trying to get his way to Hermione, trying to fulfill a strange urge of his.

Several minutes of pushing and shoving later the crowd began to chant, counting down the two minutes before midnight would appear.

Hermione looked around, searching for a friendly face in the crowd to ring in the New Year with. However, none were to be found. All she could see were drunk Seventh Years, and not a single one of her Sixth Year friends. She sighed, knowing that the heavily intoxicated Seventh Year boy dressed as Dumbledore would soon make another pass on her, make another attempt to convince her that the first kiss of the New Year should be shared with him.

Draco glared from his place in the crowd at the hovering Seventh Year, wanting to start the New Year by punching him in the face. However, reaching Hermione prevailed to be more important. He fought through the crowd and reached Hermione with two seconds to spare. Or so he thought.

Hermione took a gasp as someone spun her around and kissed her firmly as the clock struck midnight. However, it was not who she had thought. It _was_ that horrible Seventh Year.

But he would not kiss her for long. Someone new ripped him away and tossed him to the ground. "So I was too late twice now. Do I get a third chance?" The boy dressed in black robes with blood on his teeth smiled delicately, revealing fake fangs beneath the white mask.

Hermione's breath wheezed in at her recognition of the voice. "I don't believe that the clock has finished ringing in the New Year yet."

Draco Malfoy smiled, and kissed her, making her forget the horrible kiss of the inebriated other student.

_New Year's resolution number one, _Draco thought._ Follow my own desires instead of my father's. _

And Hermione pulled away laughing, seeming to have heard his thought. "Happy New Year Malfoy."

"Happy New Year indeed Granger. Happy New Year indeed."

**The End! **

* * *

**A/N: My first one shot. Yippie! LOL. Must go back to novelish story. and ring in the New Year! Happy New Year's All!**


End file.
